


Best Woman and Finest Lady

by BeatrixGtheMaskedDogNoobsomeExagerjunk



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Contains Singing and Rapping, Cross-Posted on Wattpad, F/M, Feels, Gen, Ghosts, Original Song, StarKid References, pre-duel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-10
Updated: 2017-04-10
Packaged: 2018-10-17 07:35:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,073
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10589385
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeatrixGtheMaskedDogNoobsomeExagerjunk/pseuds/BeatrixGtheMaskedDogNoobsomeExagerjunk
Summary: Burr encounters someone the night before his duel with Hamilton.





	1. My Pride and Joy

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fanfic on this site.
> 
> I've written more fanfics on other sites. (Fanfiction.net, Wattpad, DeviantArt)
> 
> Hopefully I can do this fandom justice for joining it so late.

Burr wished he hadn't proposed the idea in the first place.

The sun just set. He just arrived home.

_Duel._

_Duel with Hamilton._

_How did it come to this?_

Hamilton shouldn't have done that to him.

_And he had the balls to beg for specifics!_

The weight of his desicion began to take a toll on him as he cooked away supper for him and his daughter.

Theodosia insisted that she do the cooking, but her father refused it, telling her to set up the dinner table instead.

By the time the meal had finished cooking, Aaron served it on the table, his daughter waiting just by the area.

She asked if anything ailed him.

Theodosia cared so much for her father.

That's one thing her mother's death had done to her.

He couldn't tell her.

She can't know what he's up to.

_My daughter can't take another heartbreak._

Aaron reassured her, his reason being exhaustion.

Although that wasn't the real reason he felt that way, he was exhausted.

They took their seats and proceeded to eat.

The food was alright.

Nothing disgusting. Nothing delightful.

Actually, it was really plain.

Either way, it was enough for the Burr family.

He asked his daughter about his cooking. He was convinced his wife did better, so with that, only constant consolation from his daughter kept his envy and unnecessary remorse in check.

Theodosia described the food with simple words. She liked being honest with her father. It's not like he's lied to her before.

God knows what she'd do if she couldn't even trust her father.

Then again, the idea of him not trusting her hurt her more.

Content with her answer, her father continued to eat, with the sound of the calm wind filling the room.

 

* * *

 

"How far will I go, Father?"

Aaron straightened up, swallowing. "Pardon?"

She paused from dining. "I'm perturbed-"

"And why would you be, Theo?"

"I," She showed some insecurity.

"No need to be afraid, dearest."

She chose her words as carefully as she could. "You always say to me that I would blow us all away-"

"You will," He said with reassurance.

She was taken aback.

"Did I say something wrong, Theodosia?"

"Do you have to run an errand, Father?"

_I have a God damn duel._

_Why do you have to suspect?_

"Father?" _He's acting rashly. Why?_

"...I do." He hesitated. "It's extremely complicated,"

"You're stressing out superfluously. Is Mr. Jefferson giving you trouble? Is work getting to you?" _Mr. Hamilton again, then?_

He didn't want to respond. He shook his head.

"What do you want, father?"

No response again.

 _ **Take a break.** _ She kept this thought to herself, instead of directing it to her father.

 

* * *

 

Aaron's daughter urged him to rest straight away, volunteering to clean up.

It took a while for Theodosia to convince her father.

It really bothered her that her father was acting peculiarly.

Awfully rashly and more loudly too.

He's been diving in more into his political work.

Somehow, he always brought his personal ideals into politics, something she learned to be foolish.

Now that she thought about it, the entire governing force of their country acted in such a way.

Well, not the entire governing force. Most of it.

As her father would tell her, Alexander Hamilton was a fine example.

Speaking of Hamilton, her father hardly spoke of him. It's as if Hamilton's shut his mouth. Like the Federalist had reserved himself.

And you can't get much from a reserved man's story.

Odd of him.

_It's not like they rubbed off of each other, right?_

_Oh, Hamilton._

_Hamilton...?_

She remembered Phillip.

Theodosia enjoyed Phillip, even if he was a Hamilton.

Why, she hoped her father warned his father. She told her father beforehand, praying that Alexander would keep Phillip from dueling.

Apparently he didn't.

Theodosia's father relayed his story on Hamilton's self-inflicting downfall as of recent days.

Somehow it was still going.

Further down.

**_Futher down._ **

She always wondered when it was going to end.

She wasn't happy with Mr. Hamilton's attitude towards her father, but she still had some pity.

_Hamilton's running out of time._

_No wonder he's been so rash and loud._

_Writing and fighting like everyone he had ever known would be gone, whisked away into some natural phenomena._

_Like a hurricane._

_And all the disgusting, lifeless corpses pile up in the eye of the hurricane._

_In the eye of the hurricane, there is quiet. With no beat. No melody either. Quite like death in itself._

_And those memories, reminders, **stories** are there._

_For just a moment._

_What would I do if everyone who loves me has died?_

From her father's story, that was what Hamilton's going through.

And what her father was going through too.

Anyway, back to her father, Burr eventually went off to his room, sitting down on his desk.

He took his writing materials.

With a forlorn tune, he sang, **_"Dear Theodosia,"_**

 


	2. My Ally in Politcal War

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alteranately Titled: Content
> 
> Also, references to another musical (I'd be happy to find guesses)

_**"How to say to you?"** _

He sang as he wrote.

 ** _"What to say to you?"_ ** He shook his head, singing this line with a different melody.

He stopped.

He waited.

Waited for inspiration to guide his hand in writing.

He shut his eyes, sighing.

He was desperate for strength.

Where was the Lord when he needed Him?

Burr's mind ravaged with short, sincere prayers.

Each of them contained a drop of doubt, for he loved his life, and the idea of him killing his own friend he found disgusting.

_Why of course God won't answer them! Doubts can ruin any prayer._

Was he kidding himself? Was Hamilton a friend at that point?

He could feel the cool wind rising in the room.

On his wrists came a warm feeling. A touch he knew too well.

He let his tears fall.

He went on to hum the song's melody in between sobs, the feeling of warm touch surrounding him.

He restored his field of vision, and he looked into the mirror facing right in front of him.

And with arms around him was his beloved wife.

He smiled, weeping still.

 

* * *

 

_"What do you want, Aaron?"_

He looked at her.

How could he forget how beautiful she was?

Her eyes were eyes that beckoned him to speak.

They were eyes that beckoned him to show his true colors.

And to those eyes alone would he ever do such a _wrong_ thing.

She carried a heavenly glow no scratch could ever tarnish.

And he felt so helpless.

 ** _"I want to know your story,"_** He sang again a different song, inspired. **_"So make the story last,"_**

**_"Linger on for every part,"_ **

At this, they sang together.

 ** _"A thousand and one nights with you is not enough to spend,"_ ** Aaron jumped forward into the song, expressing how much he missed her.

 ** _"So let's make ours a story with no end,"_** She sang back, the echo in her sweet voice calming him.

They laughed, gazing into each other's eyes briefly.

 _"You never cease to blow me away, Aaron,"_ She laughed as she twirled around the room.

"My dearest," His cheeks reddened, his eyes still teary. "How flattering!"

He stood from the desk as her hand was on his cheek.

The warmth.

Aaron loved it.

I mean, what with the chill in his household?

No, their household.

He tried to feel the warmth by raising his hand to hers.

Of course, his hand goes through her figure.

And the waterworks came back.

"Why must you haunt me at this very night, Theodosia?"

 _"Don't you want me to be here?"_ She put down her hand, her eyes still filled with life and concern for her dearest.

His cheeks turned red behind his flowing tears. "My dearest, what gave you the idea?"

_"You look upset."_

"I'll feel better." The tears stopped flowing, the water drying up.

 _"You know how well I can read you--"_ The door slowly shut itself and the winds rose. _"Mr. Secretary himself proclaims your manner of keeping silence--what ails you?"_

Aaron was shivering, not because of the cold, or because of the pressence of his wife's apparition, but because of the sudden return of Hamilton into his mind.

"Dearest..." He looked away from her, and faced the window.

She dragged him to the edge of what used to be their bed. _"I won't be mad."_

He sighed, sitting down on the bed, with Theodosia Sr. sitting next to him. "I have a duel at dawn."

 _"Aaron!"_ She pulled themselves off the bed and checked her husband's physical condition.

With her hands on his cheeks, _"Dearest, why did you withhold from me this information? You could've told me from my grave-"_

"I just-" Aaron kept himself from continuing.

She held on to his collar, of which he resisted.

He never did that before.

It took the both of them a second to realize that.

"T-Theodosia-"

 _"Aaron,"_ She looked at him in worry. _"Who got you into this mess?"_

"I was the one who started it." He went to his desk and picked up Hamilton's response to his proposal, tossing it into the air for the ghost.

 _"...Your Obedient Servant,"_ She read and finished. _"Is this about the Election?"_

Aaron emitted aggravation. "Jefferson's president because of him!"

"Who-"

" **Hamilton**!" He raised his voice.

"They're enemies, aren't they? **_Why would he do this to me?!_** "

Theodosia never saw her husband this frustrated in his rants before.

But his questions made sense.

_Alexander has changed, hasn't he?_

_"He promoted Jefferson?"_ She put the paper on the desk, putting a ghostly hand on his shoulder.

"'Jefferson has beliefs; **Burr has none** ,'!" He angrily quoted.

_"I don't understand-"_

"Dearest," He looked at her, desperate for her agreement. "Let me confess to you: you're my only source of motivation in this world of American politics--in this mess I'll call the government of the United States of America."

He sighed, standing up, leaving his wife to watch him ramble.

 ** _"'What do you want, Burr?'"_** She asked in melody, the imaginary beat kicking in, keeping him from rambling any further.

 ** _"I don't understand,"_** He joined her, the imaginary piano playing.

_**"Wasn't that the question you needed to answer?"** _

**_"...I don't like Hamilton's demands."_ **

**_"Then why succumb to it?_** " The melody in the line was gone, joining along the beat. Wild violins sound themselves.

**_"You told me to!"_ **

**_"You said you weren't content--_ **  
**_with waiting patiently, quietly, shamelessly and impiously!"_ **

**_"Don't you remember?_** " She sang out.

 ** _"'Be content,'"_** He responded in song.

**_"Always,"_ **

**_"Life's too short for a neverending lament,"_ **

**_"You know you've done well,"_ **

**_"I'm not sure I have,"_ ** He sang softly.

 ** _"When you are content."_** She stopped. Imagine the imaginary music is still going.

 ** _"He begs me to take a stand, raise my hand, make plans and withstand adversaries, then guess what? He says these moves are the moves of our country's enemies!"_** Aaron rapped out.

 ** _"That aroggant bastard, loud-mouthed orphan, and obnoxious immigrant; that ignorant, insolent, indifferent son of a whore!"_** She looked at him, taking no shock from his words.

 **_"He's caused me so much pain;_ **  
**_Even cursed your name!_ **  
**_Dearest, what did I do to deserve this?"_ **

**_"Nothing,"_** Silence came to the imaginary music as Theodosia spoke. _**"That man is full of nothing but hubris..."**_

Then silence came to the both of them.

The two looked at each other.

"I'm not...content." Burr said.

"I'm not content, Theodosia!" He hit his fist against the desk, looking into the mirror.

"What will the future paint, my dearest; **a martyr or a muderer?** " He looked at himself closely.

He was sweating so much.

His breaths were plenty.

"Alexander always convinces me to seek opportunity-"

 _"But when you do, he rebukes you."_ She finished his thoughts.

"It's not my God damn fault that the paths to our aspirations are similar..." He mumbled to himself, sitting on the chair near the desk again. Even with this, she heard and understood his words.

_"He wants to be remembered,"_

"I know."

 _"And you?"_ She phased through the mirror and looked directly at him, 2-3 inches away from her husband's teary face. _"Don't you want to be remembered too?"_

"I only wanted to because of you, dearest." He replied. "You were the only person I've ever known that was so invested in my story. I haven't done much--no, enough. _ **I haven't done enough.**_ "

_"Dearest-"_

"But God, I don't want to end up like him! I don't want to be known as some...villain...Alexander's no villain however. At least, in his story I'm sure will be told." Aaron thought out loud.

"Alexander has disfigured me enough. I need to do something righteous just to redeem myself. Then I'll get the people back. I'll get my power back."

_"The people are more likely to praise him than you,"_

"Why do you think so?"

_"Because no one could trump the thousands of writings he wrote--of which saved people's asses! Dearest, you need to do much more."_

"I..." He trailed off, taking his pistol within the desk drawers.

He looked at the weapon.

"What do you think of this, Theodosia?" He faced her, showing her the gun. "What's your opinion about this...mess?"

She looked at the gun in silence.

 _"That man has done enough. Someone outta end the narrative,"_ She told him darkly, her ghostly hands delicately caressing the gun.

 _"You, Aaron Burr, are the one who deserves so much more time. S-so much more peace and happiness!"_ She pushed the plan close to his chest.

Looking up to him with a face of no guilt, _"And if anything, Alexander Hamilton will not make an orphan of our daughter."_

Burr repositioned the gun into his dominant hand, looking intensely again at the gun.

"Killing him is a sin." He whimpered softly, placing the gun on the desk. He could see the guilt he would feel in the future.

_"He'll feel much worse when he kills you."_

"You're saying I should-"

 _"End his misery? What else?"_ She neared him, looking at him.

 _"There are two sides to every story,"_ She said. _"One is told, the other buried. It's a rare occasion for both to survive."_

"What are you trying to say?"

 _" **My wish is for you to shoot Hamilton;** Hamilton's a man who's secured a legacy--a great one, which mean there's no avoiding people looking down upon you at the occasion that you win this duel."_ She continued.

"What makes you confident enough to say that people will perceive me in such a fashion?"

 _"If he dies, his wife and children will tell his story, like how you do with mine."_ She tried to smile. It was not much for anyone except for Aaron, who found it perfect.

_"My gut tells me that even if you were Alex's first friend, you will be known to them as the man who killed him. **They'll willingly speak ill of you**."_

"That man I may kill cheated on his wife and she forgave him. Do you really think Eliza will speak ill of me?"

 _"And I wonder what it's like to be in her shoes."_ Theodosia sat on the air, floating.

She envied Eliza's more giving personality. She called herself giving, but she knew that was nothing in comparison to Elizabeth Hamilton.

She sighed, _"She's but the best of wives and the best of women... Something I'll never be-"_

"How could you say that?" Aaron sat back into the chair and faced her. "You're the best woman I've ever known. The finest lady I've ever known..."

An amount of tears were seen on her face.

 _"Aaron,"_ She looked up at him, ready to wail. _" **A woman like me--dead--is literally your only source of motivation.** I convinced you to take Schuyler's seat in seeing you weren't content and that you wanted power. I convinced you to join Jefferson and Madison and take that sick, sick Hamilton's advice on getting what you want. Damn it, I convinced you to run for President! **And that one was from the grave!** "_

"And was there anything wrong with that?" Aaron looked at Theodosia in concern, getting up from the chair and nearing her.

 _"I don't even know myself..."_ She covered her face with her hands.

Those words sent fear into Burr. He always wanted to be known as someone who always did the right thing.

_It can't be..._

Aaron instead watched her cry. He held in his own tears, hiding the fact that he didn't know how to console her.

_"I thought that I have always been delighting you, keeping you content, but all I've done is make you feel worse,"_

"You're not the one to be blamed, dearest Theodosia." Aaron's voice cracked. "You've done much for me."

Silence again.

By this point, they both stood facing each other in the room.

"Know what?" Aaron looked at Theo with a bittersweet smile.

_"What is it, Aaron?"_

"I don't care anymore."

 _"What do you mean?"_ The winds stopped.

"So what if they perceive me as a villain? A sinner? That version drawn belongs to Alexander's story." He took her hands.

Miraculously, he got a firm grip on her.

The winds subsided.

"Let them bury the side of the story they'll never learn!" _My own._

"I'm...content." He realized, looking at her with a faint smile.

She smiled, showing her joy. _"And why are you content?"_

"Because at least you'll remember my side of the story." He began to cry.

He embraced her, sobbing loudly.

She cried silently at the sound of her husband's sobbing.

_"How's amazing our pride and joy?"_

"Worried for me."

She let him go, knowing she had to go. She could feel herself slip back to the deeper end of the other side. _"Write down that correspondence and get yourself some rest."_

He looked at her. "Will Heaven be our next meeting place?"

 _"I'm sure it will, but hopefully it's not too soon. You're going to need more time."_ She distanced herself from him.

He gazed at her one last time, turning to his desk.

_"And one more thing,"_

He was startled, facing her again.

_"I hope you're aware that I'll have your back in that duel of yours. When you feel the same warmth you gave me those years ago, know that I'm there to help you raise the pistol and pull the trigger."_

He watched her disappear from his sight.

Those were her last words to him that night.

He took a breath, lit a candle and continued to write.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I may have plans to add on to this; just not exactly sure which direction to go to
> 
> Just so you know, a person's thoughts can change when up close with death


End file.
